Full-range Fourier domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography using sinusoidal phase modulation

We present a full-range Fourier domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography technique which is able to obtain images of retardance, fast optical axis and intensity of sample. In this technique, the sinusoidal phase modulation is introduced into the spectral interferograms while the probe beam scans over the sample (B-scan). Then the complex horizontal and vertical signals are reconstructed by demodulation. By the Fourier transformation of the two interferograms, the full range images are obtained. Herein, the typical linear phase modulation is modified to sinusoidal phase modulation, which improves the system tolerance of sample movements and avoids sensitivity fall-off along the transverse scan. Furthermore, the images are obtained through the recombination of the horizontal and vertical polarization beam components acquired by a single camera, which avoids the problems of synchronous control and alignments in the situation of two cameras.